Transmission system, as well as a method for changing a transmission ratio

Abstract

A transmission system for a vehicle is disclosed, comprising an input shaft which can be connected to a drive source, and an output shaft which can be connected to a load. The transmission system comprises: a clutch module which has an input that is connected to the input shaft and a first and a second output, as well as first clutch means which are located between the input and the first output and second clutch means which are located between the input and the second output, and gear stage means which are located between the input and the first or second output, as well as a transmission module which has a first and a second input and an output that is connected to the output shaft, as well as a first sub-transmission which is located between the first input and the output, and a second sub-transmission which is located between the second input and the output, where the first output of the clutch module is connected to a first input of the transmission module and the second input of the clutch module is connected to the second input of the transmission module, and where the first and second sub-transmissions each comprise an input shaft and an output shaft which are connected to the inputs and output of the transmission module and each comprise at least one gear stage which gear stages are located between the input and output shafts.

1 . A transmission system for a vehicle, having an input shaft configured for connection to a drive source and an output shaft configured for connection to a load, the transmission system comprising:
 a clutch module having an input connected to the input shaft and having a first output and a second output, said clutch module comprising a first clutch assembly between the input and the first output and second clutch assembly between the input and the second output, the clutch module further comprising a gear stage between the input and either the first output or the second output, and   a transmission module having a first input connected to the first output of the clutch module, a second input connected to the second output of the clutch module, and an output connected to the output shaft of the transmission system,
 wherein the transmission module comprises a first sub-transmission between the first input and the output of the transmission module, and further comprises a second sub-transmission between the second input and the output of the transmission module, the first sub-transmission and the second sub-transmission each comprising at least one transmission clutch or at least one transmission gear stage, and 
 wherein at least one of the first sub-transmission and the second sub-transmission is coupled to the output of the transmission module by at least two final reductions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The transmission system of  claim 1 , wherein the first input and the second input of the transmission module are coupled by at least an intermediate clutch. 
     
     
         3 . The transmission system of  claim 2 , wherein the first input and the second input of the transmission module are coupled by the intermediate clutch and an intermediate gear stage. 
     
     
         4 . The transmission system of  claim 1 , wherein the first output and the second output of the clutch module are coupled by at least an intermediate clutch. 
     
     
         5 . The transmission system of  claim 4 , wherein the first output and the second output of the clutch module are coupled by the intermediate clutch and an intermediate gear stage. 
     
     
         6 . The transmission system of  claim 1 , wherein the first clutch assembly comprises the gear stage. 
     
     
         7 . The transmission system of  claim 6 , wherein the gear stage is a planetary gear set, and the first clutch assembly comprises a brake that is connected to a rotational member of the planetary gear set. 
     
     
         8 . The transmission system of  claim 6 , wherein first clutch assembly comprises both the gear stage and a clutch. 
     
     
         9 . The transmission system of  claim 8 , wherein the clutch is connected to the input of the clutch module and the gear stage is connected to the first output of the clutch module. 
     
     
         10 . The transmission system of  claim 8 , wherein the second clutch assembly comprises a further clutch. 
     
     
         11 . The transmission system of  claim 1 , wherein the first sub-transmission comprises said at least one transmission clutch. 
     
     
         12 . The transmission system of  claim 11 , wherein the first sub-transmission comprises both said at least one transmission clutch and a transmission gear stage. 
     
     
         13 . The transmission system of  claim 12 , wherein the transmission gear stage is connected to the first input of the transmission module and the transmission clutch is connected to the output of the transmission module. 
     
     
         14 . The transmission system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first sub-transmission comprises said at least one transmission clutch, the first sub-transmission being coupled to the output of the transmission module by a first final reduction, and   the second sub-transmission comprises said at least one transmission gear stage and second and third transmission clutches, and   wherein the second sub-transmission is coupled to the output of the transmission module by said at least two final reductions, said at least two final reductions being the first final reduction and a second final reduction.   
     
     
         15 . The transmission system of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one transmission gear stage of the second sub-transmission is two transmission gear stages. 
     
     
         16 . The transmission system of  claim 14 , wherein the first sub-transmission further comprises an additional transmission gear stage. 
     
     
         17 . The transmission system of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one transmission clutch is two transmission clutches, wherein the first one of said two transmission clutches is coupled between the first input and the output of the transmission module, wherein the clutch module comprises said gear stage between the input and the first output of the clutch module, and
 wherein the second one of said two transmission clutches is coupled between said gear stage and the second final reduction.   
     
     
         18 . The transmission system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first sub-transmission and the second sub-transmission comprises two lay shafts. 
     
     
         19 . A method for operating the transmission system of  claim 2 , the method comprising:
 changing from a first gear ratio to a second, different gear ratio, without interrupting torque transfer from the input shaft to the output shaft of said transmission system,   wherein the step of changing from the first to the second gear ratio comprises energizing one of the first clutch assembly and the second clutch assembly and de-energizing the other one of the first clutch assembly and the second clutch assembly, while maintaining the at least one transmission clutch unchanged.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 changing from the second gear ratio to a different, third gear ratio, without interrupting torque transfer from the input shaft to the output shaft of said transmission system,   wherein the step of changing from the second to the third gear ratio comprises energizing the other one of the first clutch assembly and the second clutch assembly, having been de-energized in the step of changing from the first to the second gear ratio, and de-energizing the one of the first clutch assembly and the second clutch assembly, having been energized in the step of changing from the first to the second gear ratio, while maintaining the at least one transmission clutch unchanged.